The augmented reality game does not have the official Star Wars branding but Hologrid: Monster Battle AR was worked on by Academy Award-winner Phil Tippett founder of Tippett Studios and the former LucasArts Entertainment effects specialist Michael Levine, CEO of Happy Giant.

Tippet who created the chess game in the first Star Wars,Star Wars: A New Hope first had Hologrid: Monster Battle using a physical card game acting as markers for companion iOS and Android apps. The game got the upgrade in the AR interface because it could be played without cards for Tango and HoloLens (at $4.99), and a VR game for Gear VR (at $2.99).

The game for ARKit allowed the development team to really go into details and reinvigorate the gameplay model. The team kept the gameplay that resembles turn-based tactical RPG, “like Final Fantasy Tactics, with characters… capable of close-quarters brawling, ranged attacks, and magic spells.”

The ARKit edition enables getting your hands on collecting monsters and abilities. Players compete against the computer or other players, and you can go from tabletop to life-sized AR, according to Next Reality.

“ARKit was the eighth platform we have brought the game to, so we had a system in place for porting it. That said, we were particularly enthusiastic for this platform because it enabled markerless AR (no physical cards required), indoor-outdoor play, and runs on devices that already have an impressive installed base,” Micheal Levine stated to Next Reality.

“But HoloGrid: Monster Battle AR is a complete reinvention more than a port, where we added an entire free-to-play arena and ranking, progression system. People can level up their teams and play Matches against ranked opponents. Also with ARKit, like before you can play the game small on a tabletop, but we also allow you to play the game HUGE now, ‘Harry Potter Chess’ style. It’s a totally new type of game experience.”

Just imagining one can grab any Augmented Reality device and play a sophisticated modern reinventing of the classic game of chess which also gains creative high notes because it is based on the Star Wars world is stellar awesome. You are essentially entering the world the characters of Star Wars inhabited, and you are playing what they did to pass the time.

All we need now is for a background update with the wallpaper being the interior of the Millennium Falcon and costumes for participators in the AR mind over matter matches so say when you view your opponent they can have a Wookie costume.